Safari Park will receive a $ 12 million grant to help it achieve its ambitious development plan
Quebec Tourism Minister Julie Boulet and her colleague Stephane Billette, Member of Parliament for Huntingdon and Minister Delegate for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, announced Tuesday, April 10, a $ 12 million grant to the Friends of Safari Park Friendship Foundation. help him to realize his development plan. This project involves a $ 24 million investment in new development at Parc Safari.

The announcement was made in front of numerous mayors of the region, local producers and various economic stakeholders.
The Friends of Safari Park Foundation project is aimed at redeveloping and building larger, more modern zoological facilities and developing new recreational facilities. In operation since 1972, and in anticipation of its 50th anniversary in 2022, the
Parc Safari wants to increase the annual number of visitors to 400,000 people, and open all year long.
There will also be replicas of the Egyptian pyramids, Victoria Falls, Mount Kilimanjaro among others, as well as an electric train in the Safari Adventure area. According to the plan, it will be a real course of geography and history in 50 minu

One year of negotiations
Accompanied by Stéphane Billette, Minister Julie Boulet stopped at Safari Park last July to learn about development plans developed by President-owner Jean-Pierre Ranger and his team. These plans include the renovation of the zoological sector with the redevelopment and expansion of the Safari Adventure area, the construction of a new enclosure for elephants and giraffes, the renovation of a building to make it an educational pavilion, the water tanks for children, a wave pool that will be open this summer, spaces for young people and improvements to the wastewater treatment system.
In making the announcement at the restaurant L’Explorateur du Parc Safari, Minister Boulet said that many factors have played in favor of granting this subsidy to the second largest zoo in Quebec: “The existence of markets to high potential, such as those in Ontario and the Northeastern United States, which make up a large proportion of the 20% of visitors from outside the United States.
Quebec, played an important role in our decision. By supporting promising projects such as this one, the Government of Quebec confirms the importance it attaches to tourism, a very important economic sector for all our regions. ”

 

What will be created here will be unique
For his part, Minister Stéphane Billette stated that he had a special attachment to Safari Park. This is where he spent his first summer job in the late 1980s. As the park is in his riding, he wanted to highlight the economic impact of his presence in the region: ” It is certain that the development project to which we have just granted this $ 12-million grant will be beneficial for all of Montérégie and even for all of Quebec. I am very proud of it. It’s a historic, exceptional moment. ”
As for Jean-Pierre Ranger, he radiated happiness. He said that this announcement is the realization of many years of dreams. He said that he never stopped making plans to make the Safari Park ever more beautiful and ever more attractive. The 74-year-old said he finds it very motivating to participate in the growth of Par ce to ensure its sustainability for another 50 years: “There is no age for personal commitment and dreams . It is exciting to realize that what will be created here will be unique. That’s what keeps me young. I can assure you that I will not have aged a day when I greet you for the 50th anniversary of Safari Park in July

Impressive figures
Safari Park, located at the confluence of St-Bernard-de-Lacolle and Hemmingford, opened on July 15, 1972. It welcomes an average of 305,000 visitors per year. The Safari Park covers 100 hectares, but there is still 160 hectares available for future development, the Grand Safari project, which could start in a few years.
Among all visitors, 10% come from the United States, 8% from Ontario, 1% from Europe and Asia, and the rest from Quebec.
Safari Park is home to about 500 animals of 68 species.
New seasonSafari Park will begin its new season on Friday, May 18 for weekends, and June 1 for its daily opening until Monday, October 1. The Park will open weekends from the 12th to the 14th, the 19th to the 21st, and the 26th to the 28th of October. It will close for the winter season.
Official announcement of the Government of Quebec grant to Safari